The Crow Takes Flight Again

By RodneyHatfieldJr for Movies

The big news story this weekend is The Crow. The Crow is once again being rebooted, this time with Bill Skarsgård starring in the “modern reimagining” that will be directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell), Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter FKA twigs also stars. Zach Baylin wrote the script.


The Crow was created by James O’Barr as a comic in 1989. The story follows Eric Draven, who returns from the dead to track down his killers and avenge his murdered fiancé with the help of a mystical bird. After that, he becomes somewhat of an antihero avenging people or jumped to others.


The new film is to be a fresh take on the original material with Skarsgård playing Draven (played originally by Brandon Lee). The project is in pre-production ahead of a June start date, with shooting to take place in Prague and Munich. The budget is in the $50 million range.


The Crow will be produced by Victor Hadida (Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises), Molly Hassell (Braven, Terminal), John Jencks (Honest Thief, Guns Akimbo), and Edward R. Pressman (The Crow, Wall Street, American Psycho). Production companies are Hassell Free Productions, Electric Shadow Company, Davis Films, and Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation, in association with 30WEST.


The Crow was adapted to the big screen in 1994 and was followed by three sequels and a short-lived television series. The character is a pop culture icon. Skarsgård is quickly becoming a genre guy, having played Pennywise the Clown, Hulu’s “Castle Rock” series, Villains and Assassination Nation.


I am not surprised by a new Crow film. It is a classic revenge story. Nor am I surprised that Skarsgard has been given the role, he is quite hot right now. What bothers me is the reboot. The Crow has more than one story. There are both comics and novels full of stories to choose from. Instead of getting one of the other stories, we get the original again. The original Crow is a gothic classic, which will be near impossible to beat especially with the Brandon Lee death associated. Why try to beat it, why not go with one of the other stories. But let's be honest, it will still be a good film. It is a solid story, and Skarsgard is a quality actor. I just would be happier if they adapted Death & Rebirth, Flesh & Blood, or Pestilence(three of my favorite Crow stories). Maybe if they made a 2nd or 3rd. But then noncomic fanboys would freak out when they saw a female Crow. Oh well, time will tell.


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